USC Thornton School of Music

The USC Thornton School of Music is a private music school in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1884 only four years after the University of Southern California, the Thornton School is the oldest continually operating arts institution in Los Angeles.[2] The school is located on the USC University Park Campus, south of Downtown Los Angeles.

USC Thornton School of Music
TypePrivate
Established1884[1]
Parent institution
University of Southern California
DeanJason King (2023-present)
Academic staff
200[1]
Undergraduates500[1]
Postgraduates450[1]
Location
Los Angeles
,
California
,
United States
Websitemusic.usc.edu

The Thornton School is noted for blending the rigors of a traditional conservatory-style education with a forward-looking approach to training the next generation of musicians. Highly regarded internationally, the school is widely ranked as one of the top 10 schools of music in the United States.[3]

History

The USC Thornton School of Music was founded in 1884 and dedicated in 1999. It was named in honor of philanthropist Flora L. Thornton following a $25 million gift from her foundation.[4] At the time, this was the largest donation to a school of music in the United States. In 2006, she donated an additional $5 million to support the facility needs of the school.[5]

Credit: USC Thornton School of Music

In 2023, Jason King was announced as the new dean of USC Thornton, following Robert Cutietta stepping down at the end of 2022. [6]

Programs

USC Thornton offers Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate degrees in more than 20 disciplines across the school's three divisions – Classical Performance and Composition, Contemporary Music, and Research and Scholarly Studies.[7] Many disciplines also offer graduate certificates.[8]

Thornton is one of the few highly-regarded music schools in the United States to offer a degree program in early music. Students of baroque, renaissance and medieval music (vocal or instrumental) may enroll in a specialized degree program.

Thornton was one of the first schools of music to offer an undergraduate program in music industry,[9] a program still regarded as among the best in the country, and currently offers both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Music Industry.[10] Thornton offers the only comprehensive program in Scoring for Television and Film.[11] It also has a program in studio guitar performance.[12]

In 2017, USC Thornton launched new professional master's degree programs in Arts Leadership;[13] Community Music;[14] and Music Industry, designed to train musicians in new ways to imagine a contemporary music career.[15]

In 2018, USC Thornton announced a new model of classical music education[16] for undergraduate Classical Performance and Composition students.[17] Hallmarks of USC Thornton's redesigned curriculum include restructured lessons, rehearsals, and classes to prepare students for a vibrant career in music.[18][19]

Bing Theatre
Credit: USC Thornton School of Music

Performance halls and studios[20]
  • Bing Theatre
  • Bovard Auditorium
  • Carson Center
  • Joyce J. Cammilleri Hall
  • MacDonald Hall
  • Newman Hall
  • Ramo Hall
  • Schoenfeld Symphonic Hall
  • Songwriter's Theater
  • Tommy's Place

Faculty

In 2007, USC Thornton alumnus and Distinguished Professor of Composition Morten Lauridsen became the eighth classical composer to receive the National Medal of Arts.[21] Two years later, in 2009, alumnus and Judge Widney Professor of Music at USC Michael Tilson Thomas also received the National Medal of Arts.[22]

Choral Music

Classical Guitar

Composition

Conducting

Jazz Studies

Keyboard Studies

Music Education

Music Industry

Musicology

Music Production

Screen Scoring

Strings/Harp

Studio/Jazz Guitar

Theory/Aural Skills

Vocal Arts and Opera

Winds and Percussion

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Music | Academics | USC". academics.usc.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-05.
  2. "History". USC Thornton School of Music. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  3. "University of Southern California Thornton School of Music: Ranking, Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More". Music School Central. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  4. "The 1999 Slate 60: The 60 largest American charitable contributions of 1999". Slate. 17 February 2000. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  5. "Flora Thornton dies at 96; L.A. philanthropist and arts patron". Los Angeles Times. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  6. "Jason King named dean of USC Thornton School of Music". 24 January 2023.
  7. "Degrees & Programs | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  8. "Admission | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  9. "Music Industry | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  10. "Music Industry | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  11. "Screen Scoring | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  12. "Studio Guitar | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  13. "Arts Leadership | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  14. "Community Music | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  15. "Music Industry | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
  16. Music, USC Thornton School of. "The USC Thornton School of Music Creates A New Model for Classical Music Education". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  17. "Classical Performance and Composition | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  18. "The New Classical | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  19. "USC Thornton announces five new master's degree programs". USC News. 2017-07-17. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  20. "Performance Halls & Studios | USC Thornton School of Music". music.usc.edu. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
  21. National Endowment for the Arts Website Archived 2012-04-13 at the Wayback Machine
  22. "Michael Tilson Thomas". NEA. 2013-04-17. Retrieved 2019-08-01.

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